His "Childhood Friend" Planned My Wedding? Cool, I Planned My Exit! novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: Save Me a Seat

I dressed in the dark with my hands shaking.

Kurt pulled his jeans on and held out my sweater.

"You don't have to go down," he said.

"I do."

"Then I'm coming."

"Kurt..."

"I'm not coming to fight him," he said. "I'm coming to stand there."

The elevator was out, so we took the stairs.

The lobby was one lamp, one plastic fern and a night clerk asleep behind the desk.

Dexter sat on a sofa under the fern with his elbows on his knees.

He looked like he hadn't slept since Sunday.

He stood when he saw me, and then he saw Kurt behind me, and his face went through three expressions and settled on none of them.

"You came," he said.

"You said you wouldn't leave."

"I wouldn't have."

"Then talk."

He pulled a cream envelope from his jacket and held it out.

I didn't take it.

"I want to read it to you," Dexter said. "I need you to hear it in my voice, because I'm the one who didn't read it for three years."

"Fine."

He unfolded the page.

His hand was shaking so hard the paper rattled.

"Dexter," he read. "If you're reading this, you've either told her, or you've been a coward. I hope it's the first, but I'm putting money on the second, because I know you."

He swallowed.

"You're a good man who thinks being quiet is the same as being kind. It isn't. I taught you that by doing it myself."

I folded my arms across my chest.

"You love my Casey. I watched you with her for two summers before I said a word to you. So hear me. Do not marry her with this between you. If you can't tell her before the vows, then say it at the altar, in front of everyone, and let her decide. She is stronger than either of us."

Dexter lowered the page.

"That's it," he said. "That's the thing I was supposed to say."

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